Pneumatic-despatch system.



' No. 650,|07. Patented May 22, I900.

H. w. FORSLUND. F '-.EUMAT|C DESPATCH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 18, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

vwehboz 40. W

wi lime-o M20 No. 650,l07. Patented May" 22,1900? H. W. FORSLUND. PNEUMATIC IIIESPA'I'CH SYSTEM.

(Application flied Sept. 15, 1399.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

No. 650;!07. I Patented May .22, I900.

- H. w. FORSLUND.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 18, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

naw W60;

3511 l 'aHiom w (No Model.)

Patnted Mav 22. I900.

H. w. FORSLUN D. PNEUMATIC DESPATCH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 18, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

' r\ 351 i attom lm a 5 muewlio-z UNITED] STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. nuco w. FORSLUND, on cnicnco, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR TO THESNLAKE STREET'MANUFACTURING COMPANY, on SAME PLACE.

PNEU MA TICI-DESI PATCH SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,107, dated May 22, 1900. V

Applieatldh filed September 18, 1899. Serial No. 730,839. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HUGO W. FORSLUND,

of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Pneumatic- Despatch Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates. to pneumatic-ce- I spatch systems, and has .for its object to provide means whereby the carriers may be introduced into and discharged from the system witha minimum amount of loss of air-pressure, this result being effected by means of suitable valves or gates and automatic meching-terminal embodying-my.-invention.

anism whereby their operation is effectively controlled.

The present invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims. e

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a send- Fig.

2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 3 3 -5 is an end view of said valve-casing.

position of the inner valve.

, the introduction of a carrier into the system. Fig. 8 is a similar viewshowing the normal position of theouter valve; Fig. 9 is asimi- .lar view showing the position of this valveduring the introduction of a carrier into the system. Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the receiving-terminal. a plan view of the same, partly. in section.

Fig. 11 is Fig. 12 is an end elevation pfthe same. Fig.

1 '13 is a-v'ertical sectional view through the reeeiving-terminal valve.showing the same in its normal position. Fig. 14is a detail'view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the connection between the main tubeand its branch pipe; and Fig? it is a detail elevation of one end of the motor-controlling valve.

Referring'first to the. sending-terminal,

which is shown in Figs. 1 to 9 of the drawings,

,1 indicates the main tube, and 2 the terminal portion of said tube, into which the carrier is 3 and 4, preferably constructed in the man= v ner shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 90f the drawings, said valves being rotary valves of the three-waytype, each provided with a segment or portion 5, adapted to close that one ofthe passages against the mouth of which it may be moved.

-.7 indicates the air-supply pipe,-which extends to the fan or blower or to the return side of the system, this air-supply pipe opening into the terminal-section of the main-pipe at the point where the outer valve 4 is located. 8 indicates abranch pipeext-ending from theair-supply pipe 7 tothe main line at-the point where the inner valve 3 is located. 'At the junction of the pipes 7 and 8.is located a rotary th rec-way valve 9, similar in construction to the valves 3 and 4-and adapted to di-, rect the air-supply either. into the'branch pipe 8, as in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig; 1 of the drawings, or to be so turned as to close said branch pipe and cause the air to pass directly through the supply-pipe into the main line or its terminal-section at the point where the valve 4 is located. 4

In order to operate the valves 3, 4, and 9, Iemploy a motor comprising a cylinder 10,

containing a piston 11, the piston-rod 12 whereof is provided with a cam-plate l3, having a slot therein comprising a horizontal portion 14 and a vertical portion 15 at right angles thereto.- The valve 3 is provided on its axis with a crank-arm 16, having a pin.17,

which extends intothe slot of the cam-plate 1'3 and which is provided with an antifrictionroller-18f The piston-rod 12 has adjustably secured to it an arm 19, to which in turn is adjustably secured a rod 20, which extends parallel with the piston-rod 1'2, butin the opposite direction fire rod 201's provided with a cam-plate 21, wherein is formed a carh -slot having a horizpntal' portion 22 and a vertical portion 23*at right angles thereto. The valve 4 is provided with acrank-arm 24, having-a pin 25, which ongages the cam-slot of the plate 21 and is prothe cylinder 10. This vided with an antifrietion-rollcr 26. The

the valve 9.

- a detachable one, the arm 28 being provided witha pin'29 and the rod 27 being provided;

I, with a U-shaped plate 30, which. fits over said pin, but may be readily disengaged therefrom, and to facilitate this disengagement, which requires a lifting upward of the adjacent end ofthe rod 27, said end ofv said rod is provided with a handle 31. ,In order to facilitate the operation by hand of the valve 9 when the rod is thus disconnected, thearm 28 terminates in a handle .32.

The operation of the motor is controlledby means of a valve comprisinga casing- 33an'd a valve proper, 34, located therein. "alve 1s a balanced valve having a cylindrical body, aroundwhich are formed three grooves This.

position shown by means of a spring 51-, which spring tends to move the valve toward the said position when the valve isfree to move. I also provide means for holding the valve fora suitable period of time in the posigion to which it is moved from the normal when the lever 50 is operated, and to this end I employ a pawl or dog 52, which is adapted to drop bygravityiufront of the end of the valve when .this latter is drawn out. .The end of thevalve-casing is provided with aslot 53, through which the pawl '52 extends and by which it is guided. The pawl'52 is mounted on a rock-shaft 54, .carried in bearings 55, mounted on the top of the valve-casing 33, and in a bearing 56, carried by a bracket 57. This rock-shaft 54 is provided with a downwardlyextending arm 58, and a spring 59 is provided, which acts upon the arm 58 and the rockshaft 54in such a manner as to move thepawl or dog 52 downward to cause it totendto engage with and hold the valve .34. The arm 58- has connected to it a rod 60,-which extends.

rearward to a point adjacent to the main line or'passag'es'35, 36, and'37. The casing is pro;

vided with a passage 38, which communicates with an air-supply pipe 39, which lea'dsyto a suitable source of supply of air under pressure. The two-endsof the passage 38 communicate with annular grooves and 41'near the ends of the casing. Within the grooves 40 and 41 lie two similar annular grooves 42 and 43, the former of which is connected, -by means of a pipe 44, with one end of the cylinder 10, while the latter communicates, by

- means of a pip'e'45,'with the other end of said mun'icates' with an exhaust-pipe 47.

cylinder. There is also providedin the easing a central annular groove 46, which com- It will be observed that when the valve is in the. position shown in Figs..1 and 4 of the drawings air under pressure entering through the pipe 39 passes through the .passage 38 to the annular groove 41, which communicates, by means of the groove 37 of the valve, with the groove 3801: the casing and with the pipe 45.

The air under-pressure is thus admitted through the pipe 45 to the left-hand side'of the cylinder 10 and maintains the piston 11 thereof in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, which is the normal position of the parts. At the same time The right-hand end of the cylinder is in coin municatiomthrough the pipe 44 withtheaninular grooves or passages 42, 36, and 46,"and consequently with the exhaust-pipe 47. When the valve 34 is shifted to the right fro'mthe position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the

pipe 44 is placed in connection with the e x-' haust-pipe' 47 in a manner which will be' readily understood, and the piston 11 will then move to'the opposite end of the cylinder fromthat in which it is shown.

In order to operate the controllin gvalve 34, said valveis provided with a stem 48, which is connected,by means of links 49,with a hand- Iever 5t). The valve 34 is norm allyheld in the of tubing beyond or inward from the valve 3, where its end is supported by means of a vibratingarm 6'1, loosely mounted on a shaft 62.- The end of the rod terminates in a hook 63, and there is secured 'on the shaft 62 an arm 64, terminating in a-pivoted too 65,

adapted to yield in one direction only and held into a suitable casing or housing 68, mounted on the main tube 1 and communicating therewith by a slot'or opening 69, and at thispoint the rock-shaft 62 is provided with a finger orprojeetion 70, which normally extends down through the slot or opening'69 into the interior of the main tube 1 in a position where it is adapted to be engaged by the carrier in its passage.

Thegeneral operation of the terminalas thus constructed isas follows: The carrier, which is indicated at 71, is introduced through the valve 4 when, the parts are in the position shown, occupying a position between the valves 3 'and 4. The hand-lever 50 is then drawn 'o'utwartl, therebyshifting the controlling-valve 34 in such a manner as to bring the air-pressure upon the right-hand side of the piston 11. The piston is thus caused to move to the other end of the cylinder, but has imparted at "the same time motion in the same direction to the rods-'12 and 20 and to their eam-plates 1-3 and 21. During the initial portion'of this movement the valve 3 is stationary, the pin ll'travelingin the straight portion 14 of the cam-slot, and since the valve IIS valve 4, on the contrary,.-begins to move-as soon as the piston 11 begins to move by reason of the fact that its pin is in engagement wvith the vertical sides of the vertical porthe communication with the outer airthrough mitted to theleft-hand side of the cylinder 10- the end of the terminal is closed by means of the part 5 of the valve. By this time the pin 25 has reached the position shown in dotted lines, in which position it is in line with the horizontal portion 22 of the cam-slot, so that during the further movement of the parts in the direction under consideration the valve 4 will remain stationary. At this point, however, the pin 17 has coine into contact with the wall of the vertical portion 15 of the cams'lot in the plate 13, and during the continued movement of said plate the valve 3 is'rotated through an arc of about ninety degrees, so as to'open communication between the terminalsection 2 and the main tube 1. During this movement of the valve 3 the valve9 has been correspondingly moved through a similar are, so as to close the branch pipe 8 and open direct communication through the supply-pipe 7. As soon as this occurs the air under pressure passes down into the terminal-section behind the carrier therein and propels the carrier through the valve 3 and into and along 'the main tube 1. When the controlling-valve 34 is first shifted by means of the hand-lever 50, the dog or pawl 52 drops behind the rear end of the valve and holds it in the position to which it has been moved. IVhen, however, the carrier passes under the finger 70, it vibrates the rock-shaft 62 and causes the arm 64 to move under the hooked end 63 of the rod 60. The yielding toe 65 permits this operation, and the spring 66' returns said toe to its proper position after it has passed the hook 63. As soon as thecarrier. has passed the finger or projection the spring 67 operates to cause the too (35 to engage the hook G3, and said spring will pull. upon the rod 60 with a force suflicient to'overcome the spring 59 and lift the dog 52 clear of the end-of the valve 34. The spring 51 thereupon moves the valve 34 back to the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon air under pressure is ad-- and the piston moves back toward its original position. During the initial portion of this movement the valves 3 and 9 return to the position shown in Fig. 1', while the valve v 4 is stationary, owing to the travel of the pin 25 in the horizontal portion 22 of the camslot in the plate 21. \Vhen the pin17'begins to travel along the horizontal portion 14 of thecam-sloti n the plate 13, the valves 3 and 9 remain stationary, and during this period the pin 25 is engaged by the vertical portion 23 of the cam-slot in the plate 21 and the valve 4 is so moved as to open communication between the terminal-section 2 and the outer air. The parts are thus returned to their normal position, and'the terminal is system.

ready for the introduction of an othercarrieu It will be observed that after the introduction of the carriercommunication with the outerair is first cut off, and the air under pressure, which furnishes the motive power of the system, is then diverted to apoint behind the carrier, so as to propel the same through thesystem. As soon as the carrier is well within the main tube the parts are returned to their normal position in such anorder as to prevent anyeom n1 unication between the internal pressure and the outerair, thus preventing waste.

In case of any blockade or stoppage of the;

carrier within the main tube the air-pressure may be readily cut off from the main tube and diverted to the exterior of the system by disconnecting the rod 27 from the crank-arm 28, whereupon the valve 9 may be so turned by means of its handle 32 as to' close the branch pipe 8 and cause the air-current 'to' when said carrier is introduced and the stop-i finger is in its normal position. This finger is operated by means of a link 75., connected to an arm 76 on the rock-shaft 73 and to an arm 77 on the rod 27. that when the valve 3 is in position to close the terminal-section 2 and is thus liable to .the carrier from striking the-lvalve, while as soon as the valve is moved into a position to permit the carrier to pass, the stop-finger 72 will be withdrawn from the path of the carrier, and this latter will be free to enter the I also provide at a point immediately inward from the valve 4 a second step finger 78, mounted in a housing 79 on an axis 80 and extending through a slot into the -termlllal-SBCllOD 2 in a direction opposite to that in which the stop-finger 72 projects.- This stop-finger 78 is free to rise to permit the carrier to passunder, but will prevent any retrograde motion of the carrier after it has been introduced. This is advantageous for the reason that in case of the obstruction of the system' the air-current is sometimes diverted or turned back in such away as to tend to blow the carrier back out of the system when the position of the valves is' changed.

In Figs. 10 to 15 of the drawings I have shown a .receiving-terminal comprising the" .main-line-tube 1, having a branch tube 81,

into which the air passes through the usual It willthus be seen] slotted partition 82. (Shown in'detail in Fig, I

14.) 83-indicates the termiualrsection proper,

3 v A 102 leads from the controlling-valve'to one and 84 the receiving-chute, into which the carrier is discharged; Betweenthese two parts and at the end. of the receiving-terminal section 83 is located a valve 85, which is normally closed, as shown in Figs. 10, 11, and 13.

having a passage 86 therethrough. This valve is provided with aicrank-pin 87,. carryinglan antifriction-roller 88 and adapted to travel in the cam-slot of-a cam-plate 89, said slot having ahorizontal portion 90 and a vertical portiony91. The cam-plate 89 slides in suitable ways 92 and is connected, by means of a rod 93, with an arm 94, which is in turn se-.

cured to the piston-rod 95 of a piston96,'l0-

cated within a-motor-cylinder-97. The con-" nection of, the arm 94 withthe rods 93 and 95 is preferably an adjustable one in order to regulate the limits of movement of the valve 85. The motor-cylinder 97 is controlled by means of .avalve 98, located within a valve casing 99, said valve being a balanced valve. {This construction is substantially identical to' that of. the valve' 34 hereinbefore de- Theair-inlet pipe, by means of which air underpressure is supplied from any suitable source, is indicated at 100, while the exhaust-pipe, which may lead. to the branch'pi pe 81 or to any other suitable point of discharge, is indicated at 101. A pipe 'end'of thecylinder 97, while a pipe 103 leads from said valve to the other end of said cylinder. The controlling-valve is operated in the following manner: A pipe 104 communicates' with the terminahsection 83 at a point immediately inward from the valve and extends thence through one end of the valvecasing 99, so as to cause the air-pressure to act against that end of said valve. .A pipe extends from the other end of said valvecasing toa point some-distance inward from the valve 85, where it also communicates with the interiorof the-terminal-section 83. Under normal conditions the pressure on the oppo: site ends of the valve 98 is balanced and said .valve remains in the position shown in Figs.

10 and 11 of the drawings. When the parts are in this position, the piston 96 is at the lefthand end of the cylinder 97 and the valve 85 'IlS GlO$6d. Upon the advent of a carrier at the. receiving-terminal the air is compressed closed valve.8.5,-and the pressure'thuscreated between the trontend of said carrier and the istransmitted.throngh the pipe 104 to the interior of the valve-casing 99 and acting against the end of the valve 98 therein tends -to -move it toward the other end of the easin'g. At thesame time, as soon-as the carrier has passed the point where the pipe 105 opens into, the terminal-section, a partial vacuum is formed in said pipe, and this minus pressure acts upon the'other end of the valve 98 and assists in shifting it from one end of its casing .tothe other. As soon-as thewalve 98 is shifted air-under prhsure is admitted through the pipe 102into the cylinder97 atthe left-hand This valve is a cylindrical valve,

end thereof and the piston thereinis moved to-' ward the right. This movement is communicated through the connecting mechanism already described to'the cam-plate 89. During the initial portion of this movement the pin 87 travels in the horizontal-part '90 of the cam-slot and the valve 85 is not moved; but during'the latter part of 'this movement the pin 87 comes in contact with the wall of the vertical portion 91 of-the cam-slot and-- the valve 85 is moved into a position such that the aperture or passage 86 therethrough is in line with the terminal-section 83 and -receiv-. i'ng -ehute 84-.

This delayed action'of the valve provides a sufficient cushion for the carrier as it approaches said valve, and. thus prevents the carrier fromstriking the valve ing-chute 84. The normal position of this arm 109 is that shown in: full lines in Fig.11; but when the valve 98is'moved by the incoming carrier in the manner already described I this armis moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11, in which positionit remains until it is struck by the carrier as it issues from the terminal-section. This movement of the arm 109 serves by the connecting mechanism just described to return the valve 98 .to the position shown, which is its-normal position, whereupon the motor-cylinderv 97 operates through its piston '96xto again close the valve 85. i

I provide 'at the end of the receiving-chute 84 a buffer-plate 110, which hts loosely within a cylinder 111 and is provided with a stem .112, adapted to slide through a sleeve 113.

Aspring 114 serves to thrust this buffer-plate normally outward, while the said spring, to-

gether with the air-cushion formed within the'cylinder, serves to provide a yielding resistance to the carrier when it strikes the buffer-plate. s t

It is obvious that the details of construction hereinbefore specifically described, and shown-in'the accompanying drawings, may

"be modified without departing from the principleof my invention andthat some of the features referred to may be omitted without aifecting the'operativeness of the remainder. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself strictly to the precise details of construction hereinbcfore set forth, and shown in the drawings. a

I claim 1. In apneumatic-despatch system, a send ing-terminal comprising a main tube having two separated three-way valves therein, an

Iss-

air-supply tube communicating directly with the main tube through theouter valvea d having a 'brauch pipe communicating'with the thereof when. the outer valve is open, substantially its-described. p

2. In a 'pneumatic-despatch system, a sending-terminal comprising 'a main tube having two separated three-way valves therein, an

' air-supply tube communicating directly with the main tube through the outer valve and .havin g a branch pipe communicating with the maintube through the inner valve, a threeway valve controlling the supply of air through the air-supply tube and its branch, and automatic means for operating said valves, the outer main-tube valve operating alone and theinner main-t'ube'valve and air- .supply-pipe valve operating in unison with each other, substantially'as described.

' 3; In a pneumatic-despatch system, a send: ing-terminal comprising a main tube having two separated three-way valves therein, an air-supply tube comniunicatin g directly with the main tube through the outer valve and having a branch pipe communicatingwith the main tube through the inner valve, a threeway valve controlling the supply of air through the air-supplytube and its branch, a motor connectedwith said valves, a controlling-valve for said motor, means for manually operating said controllin'g-valve in one direction and automatic mechanism actuated by the carrier for operatingsaid controllingvalve in the opposite direction, substantially as described. 1 k

4. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a sending-terminal comprising a main tube having separated valves therein, an air-supply tube communicating directly with the m'ain tube.

at or near its inlet end and having a branch pipe communicating with the main tube at a point inward therefrom,and a three-way valve located at the junction of the air-supply tube and its branch pipe, said valve being norm ally connected and operating in unison with the inner main-tube valve, said connection being readily detachable to permit independentop-.

eration of the air-supply-tube valve, substantially as described.

- 5. In a pneumatic despatch system, the combination,with a tube having rotary valves therein provided with eccentric pins, of a mo-* tor, and reciprocating cam-plates actuated by said motor and provided with slots with which said pins engage, said slots being partly in the line of reciprocation and partly at an angle thereto, whereby said valves are successively operated and held stationary when not in operation, substantially as described,

6. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a receiving-terminal comprising a main tube having a valve or gate therein, a motor .toactuate said valve or gate, a valvecontrolling said motor, and pipes or passages extending from said valve to the main tube at separatedpoints, one immediately inward from the gate or valve and the other some distance farther inward therefrom, whereby both the increased pressure of the air between the front of the carrier and the gate or'valve. and the diminished pressure in the rear of the carrier serve to operate' the controlling-valve, substantially as described. a

7. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a receiving-terminal comprising a main tube having a valve or gate therein, a motor to actuate said valve or gate, a reciprocating balanced valve controlling said motor, a pipe or passageleading from one end of said controllingvalve to the main tube immediately inward from the valve or gate therein, anda second pipe or passage leading from the opposite end 'of said controlling-valve to a point farther inward of the main tube, whereby both the in-.

creased pressure ahead of the carrier and the diminished pressure behind-it are utilized to operate said controlling-valve, substantially as described.-.

8. Ida pneumatic-despatch system, a receivin'g-terminal comprising a main tube, a rotary valve therein having a passage for the carrier through its body and provided with an eccentric pin, a motor, and a reciprocating cam-plate having a slot with which the eccentric pin engages, said slot being partlyin the line of reciprocation and partly at an angle thereto, whereby 'a' delayed action of said valve is obtained, substantially as described.

, HUGO w. FoRsLUN'D;

Witnesses:

IRVINE MILLER, ADA H. BARNES. 

